“Matt sauntered over to me and asked if he could buy me a drink. I said, ‘But the drinks are free here.’ Matt just grinned and said, ‘Sure, but we’re not staying here. I’m taking you out to dinner and then you’re coming home with me.’
“Believe it or not, I was a shy little thing back then. I’d never met anyone as confident.”
“Did you go home with him?”
Jake blushed. “Yeah, I did. We had dinner together, got along, and pretty much from that night on we were inseparable.”
“So how did he come to hurt you?”
“We dated for a few months. I was head over heels for him, and Matt said he loved me, too. He told me his secret, told me he was a wolf. I didn’t believe him at first, so he showed me.
“After that, we became even closer if that was possible. Then…” Jake paused, the pain of the memory coming back to him.
“Go on.” Kelan prompted.
He sighed. “After about a year, I got a new roommate, Chris. He was gay, too, but I wasn’t interested in him, of course. For me, no one could compare to Matt.
“Then, one day I came home from class and I caught Matt and Chris in bed together.”
“Shit,” Kelan said. “That’s harsh.”
“Yeah, it was. Thing is, Matt seemed to be as cut up about it as I was. He said he loved me but that didn’t matter anymore because Chris was his mate.”
“Ah. I see.”
Jake nodded. “At the time I thought it was a line, you know? Just something he said to get rid of me because he didn’t love me anymore. I always figured he was just that shallow that he could dump me as soon as someone better came along.
“But now, after meeting you, I think maybe he was telling me the truth. Still, it hurt like hell back then and, after that, I guess I stopped trusting people altogether. I’ve never let anyone get close to me since then.”
Kelan squeezed his hand. “It sounds like he didn’t set out to intentionally hurt you. I’m sure he did love you, but when a wolf finds his mate, it’s not something that can be overlooked. You don’t just want to be with that person—you have to be. It’s a yearning you can’t control.”
“Is that how you feel about me?” Jake asked.
Kelan nodded. “It damn near broke my heart when you sent me away the night we met. I can’t describe how painful it was, and I didn’t even know you at all then.”
“I’m sorry,” Jake said, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Kelan’s lips. “It won’t happen again.”
Kelan let out a throaty chuckle. “I sincerely hope not.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jake and Kelan skipped breakfast and instead took a long shower together to wash off the dried blood they were covered in. Jake leaned his head back against the shower stall and closed his eyes while Kelan soaped up his body with firm yet teasing strokes of his hands.
It felt incredible.
Kelan couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Jake’s body. With each slow sweep of his hands over Jake’s muscles, Jake’s cock grew harder, twitching every time a moan escaped Kelan’s lips. Kelan lathered up Jake’s chest, then slid his hands down his abdomen before reaching the dark curls above his hard cock.
He was driving Jake insane.
He groaned when Kelan’s hand skimmed over his dick, but Kelan didn’t stop there for any length of time. He moved his hands lower, massaging soap onto Jake’s balls and below. Kelan’s eyes were hot on him, his own breathing becoming as shallow as Jake’s.
“Turn around,” Kelan commanded.
Jake didn’t hesitate.
His legs trembled, so when he turned around he placed his hands on the wall in front of him to brace himself while Kelan set about soaping up his back and shoulders.
Kelan’s hands moved lower, tracing patterns down his spine with almost feather-light touches. He skimmed over Jake’s ass and slipped his fingers into the crease, cleaning Jake in his most private place.
Jake’s breath caught in his throat.
He was so turned on he thought he might explode, but he needed more.
“Kelan,” Jake breathed.
“Yes, baby?”
Jake looked over his shoulder and met Kelan’s eye.
The lust on Kelan’s face made up his mind.
“I want you inside me.”
Kelan gasped and closed his eyes.
He reached down, took hold of his cock and squeezed it hard. Jake’s words nearly had him shooting where he stood.
“Are you sure?” he asked, voice thick with need.
“Yes.”
Kelan nodded.
He leaned forward and kissed Jake tenderly, poking out his tongue and using it to tease Jake’s lips. At the same time, he reached down with his soapy fingers and traced the crack of his mate’s ass. Jake gasped into the kiss and thrust back to meet Kelan’s fingers. Without preamble, Kelan slid one finger smoothly inside him.
Jake broke away from the kiss and turned his head away, leaning his forehead against the wall.
“Oh God,” he breathed. “Wait.”
Kelan stilled, giving his mate a few moments to adjust to the intrusion.
After a few seconds had passed, the muscles around Jake’s ass loosened their grip on his finger and Jake nodded against the wall.
“I’m good. More.”
Kelan gave it to him.
He moved his finger in and out, and, only when Jake’s moans grew louder and he was grinding back onto Kelan’s finger did he add another. He curled his fingers and felt the nub inside his mate’s ass then stroked it a few times.
Jake arched his back, making a gurgling sound in the back of his throat.
“Kelan,” he ground out. “I need you in me now.”
Kelan growled and moved his fingers in Jake’s ass with more vigor. He snaked his other hand around Jake’s hips, holding him in place. Leaning forward, he licked a path up Jake’s neck until he reached the small scar from the mating mark he’d given Jake the night before. As he scraped his teeth over the wound, Jake went pliant in his arms. A whimper escaped his lips. He shook with such a force, Kelan doubted he would have been able to keep standing with his support.
“Please,” Jake begged.
“Okay, baby,” Kelan soothed.
He removed his fingers from Jake’s ass then squeezed a small amount of liquid soap onto his hands. He smoothed it over his aching cock before positioning the head at Jake’s hole.
“I’m going to fuck you now,” he whispered into his mate’s ear. “Then I’m going to bite you again, baby, just like I did last night. Okay?”
Jake’s only response was a low moan.
His head fell back against Kelan’s chest and he ground his ass back against Kelan’s cock, forcing the head to slip inside through the tight ring of muscle.
“Jesus, Jake,” Kelan breathed. “Fuck.”
He grabbed hold of Jake’s hips and eased his cock the rest of the way inside his mate’s ass. Jake’s channel was so hot and tight wrapped around him, he didn’t think he’d make it all the way inside before emptying his load.
He managed to hold on, but only barely.
When he was fully seated, Kelan stilled his hips and took a deep breath to calm down. He desperately wanted this to last but Jake wasn’t making it easy on him.
Jake started moaning and wriggling and grinding his ass back into Kelan’s groin, proving he was ready. Kelan began to thrust, slowly at first, pulling almost all of the way out before pushing back inside.
Jake gasped, his hands slipping on the wall in front of him when he tried to find purchase.
Soon Kelan was pounding into Jake, grabbing his waist and pulling the smaller man onto his cock to meet each thrust. Jake cried out every time Kelan nailed his prostate. His legs trembled so much that Kelan’s strong hands on his hips were the only thing keeping him upright.
“You feel fucking perfect,” Kelan growled into his ear. “Better than I ever imagined, Jake. I want you to come for me.”
It was as if K
elan’s words tripped a switch inside Jake’s mind—as if he had been holding out, staving off his orgasm until Kelan commanded it of him.
He threw his head back and screamed out his release, his cum hitting the wall in front of him. He shot harder and cried out again when Kelan’s teeth sunk into his neck and white-hot liquid spurted inside his ass as Kelan too found his release.
Kelan continued to jerk, Jake’s ass wringing out every last drop from his cock. When he eventually stopped coming, he withdrew his teeth from Jake’s neck and licked over the wound to close it. He was barely able to keep upright, and the fact that he was supporting Jake’s weight, as well as his own, made it even more difficult.
He slipped his cock out of Jake’s ass, eliciting a low groan from his mate.
He chuckled and turned Jake around in his arms.
“Are you still alive?”
“Don’t know. Can’t think right now,” Jake said around a yawn.
Kelan switched off the shower then lifted Jake out onto the bathroom floor.
He toweled him dry before roughly drying himself then carried Jake to his bed. He got in behind him and pulled him up against his chest, wrapping his arms around Jake’s waist to hold him in place.
“It’s still early. Let’s take a little nap,” Kelan said, making himself comfortable against Jake’s back.
Jake nodded and within moments his breathing deepened.
A light snore, barely muffled by the pillows rent the air. Kelan closed his eyes and buried his face in the damp curls on the back of Jake’s head, inhaling his mate’s scent. He’d fucked out all of the tension his body had carried earlier. While his own eyes drifted shut, it occurred to him that things between Jake and him were not only going to work, they were going to be damn near perfect.
Chapter Eighteen
The first letter arrived later that morning.
It was enclosed in a plain white envelope with no address and no postmark, hand-delivered.
The words on the page were succinct.
Jake, I’m going to make you pay.
Jake stared at the note in confusion then handed it to Kelan.
He read the line three times.
“What the fuck does this mean?” Kelan fumed, staring at the letter in outrage.
Jake shrugged. “Damned if I know.”
He took the letter from Kelan then threw it in the trash.
“Some weirdo who gets his jollies trying to scare people?” he wondered out loud.
Kelan frowned.
He retrieved the letter from the waste paper basket and read it again.
“I don’t like this Jake, I don’t like it one bit.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s probably just a prank.”
Jake’s words did nothing to ease Kelan’s mind.
If some nut job thought they could threaten his mate, they had another thing coming. They certainly hadn’t reckoned on a six-foot-four, pissed-off Texan wolf, that was for sure.
Kelan glanced at his mate. “What are you doing later today?”
“Well, Saturday mornings I usually work out, but seeing as I missed it this morning, I was going to go later this afternoon. Why?”
“I’m supposed to be helping my brother with his move. I thought you could give me a hand, maybe have some dinner there.”
Jake went rigid, staring at Kelan in shock.
“You want me to meet your brother?”
“Yes.”
Jake shook his head. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Don’t you think it’s a bit soon for the whole meeting the family part?”
“No, I don’t. Besides, after that letter, I don’t want to let you out of my sight until we figure out who sent it and deal with them.”
“I think you’re taking this a bit far. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. I don’t need protecting. I can look after my—”
Kelan raised his eyebrow, staring at Jake and willing him to finish that sentence.
“Fine, I’ll go to your brother’s place with you,” he conceded.
Kelan turned his face away from Jake and grinned.
It seemed his mate was starting to see things his way.
Perfect.
Now if he could just convince him to move to Texas…
Chapter Nineteen
It was starting to get dark by the time Jake and Kelan made it to Cody’s apartment. Jake stood nervously at Kelan’s side while they waited for the door to open. Jake still wasn’t sure about this, it felt like such a big step forward, but it was too late to back out. Stefan opened the door with a huge smile on his face and ushered them inside.
“Cody! Your brother and Jake are here!” Stefan shouted over his shoulder.
Cody poked his head out of the bedroom and squeaked when he saw them. He rushed across the room and flung his arms around Jake.
“Oh my God, it’s so good to meet you!”
Kelan and Stefan both growled at the same time.
Kelan pulled Jake away while Stefan grabbed hold of Cody and tugged him back, too.
“Hey!” Cody shouted, still wriggling in Stefan’s arms. “I was just saying hello to my brother’s mate. Back off!”
Stefan and Kelan shared the same look of guilt while Jake just stood stock-still in the middle of the room, shocked and very wary.
“Don’t take any notice of these two boneheads,” Cody said, glaring at his mate and brother in turn. “You’ll find that all alphas have over-inflated egos and even bigger jealous streaks.”
“Sorry,” they mumbled in unison.
Jake stepped forward and shook Cody’s hand, ignoring Kelan’s glare.
“It’s good to meet you, Cody.”
“Come on in, Jake. Can I get you something to drink?”
“He’ll have a scotch with a little water,” Kelan said.
“I can answer for myself, thank you,” Jake reprimanded. “I don’t need you to do my talking for me.”
Jake didn’t miss the knowing look that passed between Cody and his mate.
“He’s got teeth,” Stefan said with a chuckle. “I’m glad you’ve mated with someone who can keep you on your toes.”
Kelan mumbled something under his breath that sounded like, “Figures.”
“I don’t know what you’re being so cocky about,” Cody chided. “You’re just as bad as he is. Come on, Jake, come and give me a hand in the kitchen.”
Cody threaded his arm through Jake’s and poked his tongue out at Kelan before dragging Jake into the kitchen. When they were safely out of hearing distance, Jake turned to Cody and sighed.
“Do you ever get used to that?” he asked, nodding his head towards the living room.
“You will. It’s different for me because I grew up around alpha wolves, so I knew exactly what to expect when I met Stefan. Just don’t let Kelan get away with any shit.
“For example, if you want him to do something for you, you have to plant the thought in his head and make it seem like it was his idea in the first place.
“That always worked for me with Kelan. Stefan is a little different,” Cody said. “But whining and moaning until I get my own way seems to do the trick with him just fine.”
Jake laughed.
He was already warming to Kelan’s brother.
He’d been nervous before arriving, but Cody made him feel at ease. If only he were staying in New York. Jake was sure they could become friends.
“Kelan told me you’re moving to New Mexico to live with Stefan. Aren’t you going to be sorry to leave New York?”
“Yes and no,” Cody said, tilting his head sideways, thinking about the question. “I’m an artist, so, although I can paint anywhere, all the galleries that show my work are here in New York.
“We’ll only be staying in New Mexico for a short while until Stefan’s brother takes over as pack leader, then we’ll be moving to Texas, which is home for me. It’ll be a hassle coming back and forth to New York, but it’ll be worth it to be with Stefan.”
> “Wow, you must really love him,” Jake said.
“We’re mates,” Cody replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders. “Of course I love him.”
“You make it sound so easy.” Jake sighed. “As if being mates can solve anything.”
“It can. When you find your mate, you find the other half of your soul. Nothing else matters but being with that person.
“Your mate becomes the most important thing in the world to you. Any problems, you can work around.”
“I wish I had your blind faith.”
“The thing is, I grew up knowing about mates. I’ve wanted to find mine my entire life. But before I met Stefan, I thought maybe there wasn’t a mate out there for me at all.
“You wouldn’t believe how happy I was to realize that wasn’t the case. Stefan feels the same way.”
“So, it was easy for you both right from the start.”
Cody laughed. “Easy? Hell no. There were times when I didn’t think things would work out between us at all.”
When Jake raised his eyebrows Cody said, “I’ll tell you about it someday. The point is, life isn’t always easy but when you find the person you were destined to be with, that’s something worth fighting for.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right about that.”
Cody had given Jake a lot to think about.
He couldn’t deny, however, that he was still nervous Kelan would wake up one day and see through him. It terrified him to think that Kelan might realize Jake wasn’t the person he had thought he was.
Over the past ten years, Jake hadn’t exactly been the most stand-up guy. Actually, he felt ashamed at how he’d treated people—especially those who were supposed to be his friends—people who cared about him.
Even though he’d only known Kelan for a short time, being with him had opened his eyes to a lot of different issues. He hadn’t always been selfish and self-absorbed. He’d cared once about people other than himself once. But he realized now that he’d allowed his experiences to change him for the worse.
As he tried to see himself through Kelan’s eyes, he took a long, hard look at himself and realized he didn’t much like the person he’d become.
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